Promise Ring

Yongsun tried to remember what happened that night and all that she could dig from her memory was that they slept early and woke up early the next day. She wasn't crying then.

But knowing where the future led her away from Wheein, or more like led Wheein away from her, was too heartbreaking.

Yongsun tried to hold back her crying time but she just couldn't. Her soft sobs were becoming more audible and she was just thankful that Wheein was quiet. Maybe she had fallen asleep.

But the way Wheein's small soft hand was still clinging to her hand made her think that maybe she was just quiet and observing.

Until she finally heard Wheein spoke, "Unnie?"

"Mmm," Yonsun tried to reply hiding her sobs.

"Are you crying?"

"Ah, it's nothing," Yongsun replied. "Go back to sleep."

"What's wrong, unnie?" Wheein asked.

Yongsun didn't exactly know what. She just couldn't help it. Maybe it was because she was with Wheein again? That she was sharing an intimate moment alone with her again? So many years had passed she almost had forgotten how being with Wheein felt like.

"It's okay, you can tell me unnie," Wheein sat up on her mattress, still holding Yongsun's hand. She leaned her head on the bed beside Yongsun's pillow facing her. "I'm not a kid anymore, I can understand things better."

With the lights close, Yongsun couldn't see Wheein's face but she knew well how her concerned expression would've looked like.

"Unnie, what's wrong?" Wheein asked again softly, almost in a whisper.

Yongsun felt Wheein's hand on her cheeks, wiping her tears with her thumb. Her palm felt so warm and comforting. Then Yongsun touched Wheein's hand and tilted her head gently on the side to kiss her palm.

Then, without thinking, Yongsun finally said, "I just missed you."

It was too late before Yongsun realized what she just said. She felt Wheein's soft lips on her forehead and felt butterflies in her stomach.

Her heart was pounding when Wheein moved to the small single-sized bed to cuddle with her as she chuckled, "I missed you too, unnie. Please don't cry."

"You've grown so much while I was away."

The way Wheein was back hugging her was so soft. She was trying to hush Yongsun by ruffling her hair and kissing the side of her head. Wheein must still be tipsy, she thought.

"You're not a kid anymore," Yongsun told her when she finally hushed. "And what did I tell you about kissing--"

"Unnie, why do you keep rejecting me?" Wheein asked sounding upset.

Yongsun didn't expect that question. She wasn't sure what Wheein meant by that. Was Wheein really making advancements on her? Or was she just annoyed that her acts of endearment were not being appreciated.

Yongsun didn't want things to be awkward between them and so she played safe and told Wheein, "You and Hyejin never change, huh? You would both always kiss me before when we were still in school."

She waited how Wheein would reply but there was a short silence before she spoke in an even more upset tone, "But now is different."

"What's different?"

"That I'm older now," Wheein said. "I'm not that kid anymore who you used to walk home with."

"You will still be that kid for me," Yongsun said.

"I don't wanna be that kid anymore," Wheein told her. "You keep telling me I'm old now but you still see me as that kid. What do you want me to be for you, unnie?"

That question hit Yongsun hard. The reality that Wheein just married someone and it wasn't shook her to her senses. This was a perfect chance for Yongsun to expand the space she occupies in Wheein's heart. She could've kissed her back and ask her to be her girlfriend.

But Wheein was drunk. She probably wouldn't even remember all this talk in the morning.

"I don't know, Wheein," Yongsun replied cautiously. But I want you to be part of my life forever, and me to yours." Yongsun thought for a second and finally added, "Because that's how much I love you."

"I love you too, unnie." Wheein said.

Yongsun could feel her face getting hot and she was blushing. She couldn't believe they just exchanged their first I love yous. Whether it was platonic or not, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that Yongsun was finally able to say those words to Wheein.

Wheein tightened her arms around Yongsun for a while. She thought Wheein was maybe just really being affectionate and so she just let her.

When Wheein loosened up her hug, she gave Yongsun a peck on the cheek again and said in a cute tone, "that's your good night kiss." Then she added, "thank you for being in my life, unnie. And thank you for being here with me."

Wheein's words melted Yongsun's heart and she couldn't help but turn around to face Wheein and wrap her in a hug.

Wheein hugged her back, "I wanna grow up faster so I can keep up with you, unnie."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know," Wheein chuckled lightly.

"I guess we need to sleep now," Yongsun told her. "We have to get up early tomorrow."

"Okay, good night unnie."

"Good night, my Wheein."

"I love you, unnie."

Yongsun didn't hesitate and just said it back, "I love you too, my Wheein." Then she went ahead and kissed the top of Wheein's head.

The next day panned out how Yongsun remembered it. The only difference was that Wheein was in a better and more cheerful spirit. She was even more physically clingy to Yongsun and would hold her hand all the time.

Wheein was wearing the ring she gave her. And she noticed how Wheein would play with it, turning it around her pinky whenever she was bored.

When graduation ceremony was over, Yongsun told her not to do it or it would loosen and fall off without her noticing.

"Then maybe I have to glue it on my pinky," Wheein said cheekily. "Or like saw it with needle and thread on my pinky skin."

"That's morbid..."

Wheein laughed really hard at her own joke.

"If you do that, how can you remove it when you want to?" Yongsun asked stupidly.

"I'll just cut my pinky off then," Wheein laughed again.

"You're weird."

She looked at Yongsun and smiled sweetly, "I just don't wanna lose a special present from you, unnie."

"Wear it always," Yongsun said. "It may bring good luck, you know."

"Okay, I will."

"Promise?" Yongsun held out her pinky to Wheein and Wheein took it with her pinky.

"Promise," Wheein smiled at her. Then she took out her phone and told Yongsun, "maybe we should take this photo to commemorate this promise."

When the photo was taken, a ray of white light onky Yongsun could see took her back to present.

"Welcome back," she was greeted by Moonfairy. "I'm impressed how much the photo has changed."

Yongsun looked at the screen to see what Moonfairy was talking about and she realized that in the previous photo they were just casually standing. But on this new photo, their pinkies were intertwined to a promise as they both smiled for the camera.

"Impressive, Yongsummer-unnie." Moonfairy beamed at her.

"Did I do well?" Yongsun couldn't convince herself that she did as soon as she saw Wheein still seated beside Taeyeon on their table.

"Did you do well? You're really asking me that?"

"Well I thought you can read minds."

"Go and check your Wheein's hand," Moonfairy commanded her.

Yongsun walked over to the couple's table and to her surprise, that small promise ring she gave Wheein was now on her pinky.